$2000 waiting list

[sbernali]

I just got on a waiting list at a dealership were you give them $2000 and it should take 3 to 4 mouths before they start offering you orphans. Has anyone done this?

[Amethyste]

No! I was on a waiting list and they called me offering me a car on which I only had to pay a $500 deposit. $2000? Is that refundable or not? It seems to me a bit excessive.

[sbernali]

yes its refunded if I want it back. so how long did you wait?

[smartyPantz]

Originally Posted by sbernali

I just got on a waiting list at a dealership were you give them $2000 and it should take 3 to 4 mouths before they start offering you orphans. Has anyone done this?

WHAT?! that's preposterous!

[cmjars]

Which dealership?

[2009Aveo5]

Originally Posted by cmjars

Which dealership?

The most I have heard is $500 refundable deposit which was at St. James, NY (which I believe that is near McMansionville). Knoxville, TN wants $300 refundable deposit for the waiting list.

Some dealers want you to be local to be on the list, i.e. Englewood, NJ. The dealer in Edison, New Jersey requires you to visit the showroom to be on the list (can't do it by phone). Cherry Hill, NJ claims if they sell outside of their area that Smart penalizes them 2% on the sale.

The big issue is which dealer doesn't force you to take $2-$3k in dealer add-ons for orphans. That's the list I want to know. A refundable deposit is refundable....you'd only lose interest/available credit for a short period of time. But $3k of fabric protection, etc is burning money.

[Amethyste]

Originally Posted by sbernali

yes its refunded if I want it back. so how long did you wait?

They called me on the 10 of Feb I think and my car is due any day now as it has arrived at the port on Feb 18th. Someone cancelled their car and they offered it to me, the car was already in production. It wasnt a start to finish thing... I think I'll have to wait about a month or a little less total.

[Alan_Hepburn]

Smart Center San Jose doesn't ask for a deposit until they offer you a car - they simply put your name on the list and when a car is available with your criteria they call and offer it - if you accept it then they ask for a deposit (we gave them $2000) to hold the car until it's ready for delivery. In our case they called us on a Saturday and we went in and gave them a check. Then we returned the following Tuesday to take possession and we gave them another check. No "pre-deposits", no dealer add-ons, etc.

[angel]

Originally Posted by sbernali

I just got on a waiting list at a dealership were you give them $2000 and it should take 3 to 4 mouths before they start offering you orphans. Has anyone done this?

First I heard of it.

Maybe you missed it when someone else asked earlier up ....
Which dealership?

[sbernali]

Dealership is SMART OF UNIVERSAL CITY CA. The salesman was very very help full. SMART OF WEST COVINA was not as good but they dident ask for a deposit to be on there list but they only had 4 cars UNIVERSAL CITY had like 40.